A few months ago I had Directv installed. Part of the package is the NFL Channel, which runs condensed versions of the previous Sunday's games throughout the week.
I have watched the re-runs of the Viking victory over the Chargers twice and I don't like what I see happening with rookie Adrian Peterson.
During the first Packer/Viking squareoff in Minneapolis, Peterson had a lot of yards despite being held back in the second half.
Actually, if it wasn't for Vikings coach Brad Childress, Favre might not have been the only player setting records in the Metrodome.
Peterson, the seventh overall pick out of the University of Oklahoma, had 10 carries for 108 yards at halftime, including a 55-yard burst on his ninth attempt.
Peterson got just two carries for 4 yards in the second half as Childress stuck to his plan of slowly bringing Peterson along. The Vikings wound up losing, 23-16.
With a 9.3-yard per carry average to that point, 30 carries could have gotten Peterson near Jamal Lewis' previous single-game record of 295 yards, set when Lewis was with Baltimore.
Come Sunday in Green Bay, I am certain that Childress will not be holding the young man back. The only way the Packers are going to win this one is if the defensive front four plays gap-perfect football all afternoon.
Peterson already has the ability to read when a defenseman is out of position and not playing his assigned gap.
"Since I've been in the league, I haven't seen one like him," said Green Bay defensive line coach Robert Nunn, who coached Ricky Williams in Miami and played alongside Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State. "He's Barry Sanders-like as far as hitting the hole. He's fast and he hits it so fast. He has such good vision and strength. He's the total package."
"It's hard to prepare your guys for that. They got a taste of it when we were there. I don't think we're going to have to remind them much."
So I am going into the weekend worried! More than any other team, I hate losing to the Vikings.
It is heartening to know that the Green Bay defense has moved up the scale from 15th in run defense to 8th. I hope that's enough come Sunday!
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